Call to restore visa-free travel for South Africans visiting UK for tourism and business

A CAMPAIGN is underway to restore visa-free travel for South Africans visiting the UK for tourism and business.

A campaign was launched to restore visa-free travel for South Africans visiting the UK for tourism

Downing Street will be petitioned over the issue which is backed by The Royal Commonwealth Society - an organisation committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world.

Tim Hewish, the society's Director of Policy and Research, said: "We encourage the 200,000 South Africans living in the UK to sign this petition and share it widely with their friends and family in Britain and in South Africa. By doing so we will show both governments that there is growing public support for this change."

Since 2008, South Africans visiting the UK pay £87 for a six-month visa, or £330 for a two-year visa.

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South Africans visiting the UK pay £87 for a six-month visa or £330 for a two-year visa

There have been very strong ties between our two countries

Haniff Hoosen

Put off by the mounting costs of travel, one outcome has been a marked drop in South Africans visiting the UK.

In 2015, Britain welcomed 30% less, roughly 100,000 fewer South Africans to its shores than in 2006.

The cost to the UK economy is estimated at £128 million and 2,370 jobs.

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Visa-free travel could help rebuild bonds between families

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There has been a marked drop in South Africans visit the UK

Anti-apartheid campaigner, Lord Peter Hain said: "A return to visa-free travel would help rebuild bonds between families, as well as directly boost UK tourism by attracting fresh numbers of South Africans, and restore visitor numbers to 2006 levels of over 350,000."

Haniff Hoosen MP, Shadow Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa said: "Historically, there have been very strong ties between our two countries. It does not make sense that goods produced in these two countries can pass freely but the visitors cannot."